In this episode of "52 Humans," host Paul Wolf interviews Laura Hammond, an HR executive and founder of The People People, an HR consultancy that focuses on heart-centered HR practices. Hammond discusses her experience with human-first and empathetic leadership, particularly during the pandemic when she was leading a large retail organization. She shares a personal story about struggling with her mental health and the decision she made to be honest and vulnerable with her team and the broader organization about her situation. Hammond talks about the importance of psychological safety and creating a work culture where leaders can show up as their authentic selves. The episode concludes with Wolf encouraging listeners to think about ways to bring greater empathy into their workplace.
Laura is an experienced global Human Resources Leader with over 20 years of experience across government, retail, and most recently, a hyper-growth health technology startup. In her personal life, she is passionate about raising funds for mental health research, a devoted Peloton enthusiast, a rescue dog mom, and a fan of all things Canadian arts and culture.
Laura's mission is to support organizations in fostering inclusive workplaces where employees can achieve their professional and personal goals. She has worked for two of North America's most innovative and exciting retail brands and recently led the building of people operations infrastructure for a women's health tech start-up called Tia. Throughout her career, she has built successful People teams to support organizational growth and development.
